Estadio Azteca
Estadio Azteca
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Estadio Azteca

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Estadio Azteca

Estadio Azteca (Latin American Spanish: [esˈtaðjo asˈteka]) (officially known as Estadio Banorte for sponsorship reasons) is a football stadium located in Coyoacán, Mexico City. It is the official home of football team Club América, as well as the Mexico national team. The stadium sits at an altitude of 2,200 m (7,200 feet) above sea level. With a capacity of 87,523, it is the largest stadium in Latin America and the eighth-largest association football stadium in the world.

Regarded as one of the most famous and iconic football stadiums in the world, it is the first to have hosted two FIFA World Cup finals; the 1970 World Cup final, where Brazil defeated Italy 4–1, and the 1986 World Cup final, where Argentina defeated West Germany 3–2. It also hosted the 1986 quarter-final match between Argentina and England in which Diego Maradona scored both the "Hand of God goal" and the "Goal of the Century". The Estadio Azteca is the only football stadium in the world to have both Pelé (1970) and Diego Maradona (1986) win the FIFA World Cup, both of whom are considered among the greatest football players of all time. The stadium also hosted the "Game of the Century", when Italy defeated West Germany 4–3 in extra time in one of the 1970 semifinal matches. The stadium was also the principal venue for the football tournament of the 1968 Summer Olympics and the 1971 Women's World Cup. The stadium is scheduled to host games during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, including the opening game, making it the only stadium to host three editions of the FIFA World Cup.

Additionally, the National Football League (NFL) features one game at Estadio Azteca per season as a part of its International Series.

The Estadio Azteca was envisioned as a major sports venue during the presidency of Adolfo López Mateos, when Mexico was awarded the 1968 Summer Olympics, where the football final was held. The stadium was designed by architects Pedro Ramírez Vázquez and Rafael Mijares Alcérreca and broke ground in 1961. The inaugural match was between Club América and Torino F.C. on 29 May 1966, with a capacity for 107,494 spectators. The first goal was scored by Brazilian Arlindo Dos Santos and the second one by Brazilian José Alves; later, the Italians tied the game, which ended in 2–2 draw. Mexican president Gustavo Díaz Ordaz made the initial kick and FIFA president Sir Stanley Rous was the witness.

A modern illumination system was inaugurated on 5 June 1966, with the first night game played between Spanish side Valencia C.F. and Necaxa. The first goal of the match was scored by Honduran José Cardona for Valencia. Roberto Martínez, aka Caña Brava, became the first Mexican to score a goal in the stadium after scoring for Necaxa. The result was a 3–1 victory for Valencia.

In 1978 the stadium hosted the final of the Copa Interamericana between América and Boca Juniors of Argentina, and would host a final again in 1990 between América and Club Olimpia of Paraguay.

The Estadio Azteca is also the site in which Pelé and Diego Maradona (during the 1970 and 1986 FIFA World Cup) lifted the trophy for the last time (The Jules Rimet Trophy and the current FIFA World Cup Trophy, respectively).

Estadio Azteca has also been used for musical performances throughout its history. Michael Jackson (5 sold-out shows in 1993), Menudo (in 1983), U2 (in 2006 and 2011), Luis Miguel (in 2002), Paul McCartney (in 2012 and 2017), Elton John, Maná, Juan Gabriel, Gloria Estefan, Jaguares, Lenny Kravitz, *Nsync, Hanson, Ana Gabriel, and The Three Tenors all have become part of the stadium's main spectacle. The stadium has also been used for political events, including Mexican president Felipe Calderón's campaign closure in 2006, as well as religious events, such as Jehovah's Witnesses conventions and the appearance of Pope John Paul II in 1999.

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